The Turning Point

Land of Tea Part 2

"HEY WOULD YOU JUST SLOW DOWN FOR ONE SECOND!?" Naruto wheezed, still managing to yell at Idate who sped up effortlessly in front of them.

"If you ninja can't keep up then go home! I don't need you holding me back!" Idate called back over his shoulder.

Naruto growled in response "What's this guy's deal? Why would he turn around and run away from the starting line? Doesn't he know he's gonna lose?"

"Maybe he just doesn't want to do it. You saw how reluctant he was to accept us guarding him, what's to say he feels the same about this race" Sakura replied propelling herself forward and securing a solid landing on the next tree branch.

"I don't think that's it. You saw how much he respects that boss of his, why would he double cross him? Hn it's possible he planned to come this way from the start" Sasuke said keeping his eye trained on Idate below.

"I guess so and if that's the case he clearly knows something we don't" Sakura said glancing at her teammates.

"Well I'm fed up with running after this idiot it's time to see what his game is!" Naruto said using a burst of chakra to jump gracefully from the tree tops and match Idate's speed on the ground.

"That seems like a solid plan" Sakura muttered as the two males began bickering furiously.

They raced along the forest floor which quickly merged into a rocky cliff which began crumbling under their weight. Exchanging quick looks of conformation Sasuke and Sakura registered the appearance of genjutsu.

"Is there much point in warning Naruto? They're already caught in it and Idate doesn't have the training to notice" Sakura asked Sasuke who smirked.

"I think you just answered your own question. Besides with all their bickering I doubt the dobe could even hear us calling out"

Below them Naruto and Idate had stopped running and were standing in front of an old tree that Idate had already run past.

"Great genjutsu just what I need, in that case I guess I just need to do this" Idate said and pressed his hands together. "Release!"

"Hey wait how did you do that?" Naruto stared wide eyed at the hand sign Idate had just made but the older man left no time for questions as he raced towards a beam of light coming out of the densely thick forest.

"No stop!" Sakura called out as she and Sasuke could see that break in the jutsu would cause Idate to go over the side of the cliff.

Sasuke immediately opened his travel bag and reached into it for a coil of rope. Naruto quickly followed Idate out and over the edge of the cliff grabbing hold of the man by his waist. Sasuke had managed to tie a hole in the rope and throw it over the cliff edge to hook around Naruto's ankle preventing them from falling.

Assuming an effective leverage position Sasuke draped the weight of the rope over his back as Sakura picked up the end and both began hauling their teammate and client up.

"You saw how that worked right? Two genjutsu blending into each other which means whoever set them off is at least Chunin level or higher" Sakura observed as she grit her teeth and pulled on the rope harder.

"Hn" Sasuke replied in agreement and glared viciously down below where Naruto and Idate had begun arguing again and were causing the rope to sway unsteadily. "Stop fighting you'll break the rope!" he called down angrily.

"GAHHH! I TOLD YOU TO KNOCK IT OFF!" Came Naruto's pained cry as his ninja tools were knocked out of his pouch and down into the crevasse. Within a few minutes Sasuke and Sakura had pulled the two very annoyed men up.